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Looking to make some greener choices in your daily life, but
don’t know where to start or how to take the next step? You’re not alone. It
can be hard to know what will really make a difference.
Besides the prospect of having to completely revamp your
lifestyle or spend a lot of cash on “going green” can seem daunting. Luckily,
such drastic steps are completely unnecessary.
There are plenty of simple steps you can make that will have
a positive impact on the planet (and in most cases are better for your health
and your pocketbook). Focus your time and money on things
that will really make a difference instead of sweating the small stuff or
feeling like there’s no point in making any change unless you take a huge leap.
Here are things you DON’T
have to do:
Always buy organic.
Instead focus on buying what’s in season and local for produce that tastes
better, is more nutritious, and doesn’t have to travel thousands of miles to
reach your table. Find out what’s
in season where you live right now. Search for local
farmers markets or visit LocalHarvest.
If you can afford to buy organic,
then spend your money on the fruits and veggies that tend to have the
most pesticide residues such as peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, and
nectarines. You can skip organic versions of onion, avocado, sweet corn,
pineapple, mango, and
others since they’re typically light on pesticide residues.
One thing we all could do (whether we care about creating a
more sustainable lifestyle or not) is to try
not to waste food. If every American were to reduce
their food waste by 25%, it would have a big impact on greenhouse gas
emissions (not to mention your budget), according to a recent Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC) report.
Go vegetarian. Instead
focus on consuming
less meat and dairy products. How? Smaller portions. Stop eating meat one day a week. Don’t eat meat at
every meal. Anything goes. The kind of meat you choose is also important. Red
meat is
harder on the planet than poultry and pork. The NRDC says that swapping
red meat for poultry and skipping dairy twice a week are two relatively
painless ways to make a big difference. It’s also healthier and easier on your
wallet.
Buy green products.
Instead focus on buying less stuff. It’s tempting to think that purchasing a
bunch of “eco-friendly” products is the best way to be supportive of the
environment. But resources are used to make, package, ship, and ultimately
dispose of all products, green or not. When you do have to buy new, then of
course it’s best to choose products with sustainable attributes such as those
that are energy efficient, are made of recycled or recyclable materials, or
have minimal packaging if you can. But first try prolonging
the life of what you already own, borrowing or renting
something you’ll use infrequently, swap
what you no longer need, or buy a used product.
Buy a hybrid. Instead
take good care of the car you already own and don’t idle. We know you’ve heard
it before, but if everyone made these simple steps it would have a measurable
impact on global warming emissions. Better yet, figure out a way to carpool
two times a week or telecommute
one day a week if you can. When it’s time to buy a car, choose the
most fuel-efficient car in the class of car you need. Some smaller cars not
only rival hybrids
when it comes to fuel efficiency, but also have lower price tags.
Invest in solar
panels. Instead buy green power
from your local utility. An increasing number of consumers have the option to
buy electricity from renewable sources, such as wind or hydro, from their
electricity supplier or another utility. Ask your utility if they offer a
green pricing program or click
this map to see if it’s available in your state. You’ll have to pay a small
premium each month for the company to use renewable energy or develop sources
of it, but it’s a lot cheaper than slapping solar panels on your roof.
Better yet, take steps to use
less energy around your house. Some ideas of small
changes that can add up to big savings: Replace six incandescent bulbs with
CFLs, use a programmable
thermostat, set computer
to hibernate mode, switch
off unused lights, seal leaks, insulate your attic, wash you clothes in
cold water.
Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips
and product reviews with Yahoo! Green’s users. Send Lori a question
or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book,
Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a
Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo!
Shopping and Amazon.com.
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